


What Was and What Can Be

by Living_Free



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: AU, Angst, Awesome Pepper Potts, Awesome Steve Rogers, Awesome Tony Stark, Caring Steve Rogers, Domestic, Fluff, Humor, Loki Feels, M/M, Odin's A+ Parenting, Racism, Sad Loki, Sneaky Frigga, Thor being dense, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-04-13 18:37:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4532901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Living_Free/pseuds/Living_Free
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Thor: The Dark World. </p><p>Tony finds Loki on Earth, and surprisingly, bone with the ex-villain and surprisingly, his baby, which is not his baby, but his apprentice. Said apprentice has also made it his mission to gum through Tony's expensive ties.</p><p>As a magical consultant to Tony Stark and Stark Enterprises, Loki discovers life on Earth with his fledgling apprentice, and makes a new home for himself amongst mortals. He finally learns to live for himself, and not for an ideal or someone's perceived ideal for him. On the way, he confronts his past and those associated with it, and learns that in order to pave a future for himself, he must take control of his past, and own it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rediscovery

There was one thing to be said about being a part of the Avengers Initiative - there was never a dull day, Tony Stark thought as he was rudely awakened by the dulcet tones of Nick Fury, one of the only true SHIELD agents left. 

"Stark! You better listen, you-"

Tony sighed and dragged his head off of the table. His bleary vision cleared to see Steve Rogers directing the most convincing puppy dog eyes at him, pleading at him not to infuriate the Director. When Nick Fury had unveiled himself to be alive and well after the Winter Soldier and HYDRA debacle, Steve had actually teared up and proceeded to give the man a wholesome, American hug, while the Director had spluttered angrily in his arms. From that day onwards, Steve had made it his personal mission to see to it that nothing would ever cause the Director harm again. This extended to his physical as well as mental health, apparently. Steve had issued strict orders to the agents not to needlessly distress the one-eyed tyrant with memos and reports, replaced the Director's coffee with decaf, and had removed the junk foods in the rec room and had replaced them with granola bars and yogurt. Now, Steve was worried that Tony's insolence would heighten Fury's blood pressure.

"Yeah, I heard, unknown artifact, possibly off world, we have to identify its properties?" 

Fury glared harder and with unprecedented delicacy, gently laid said artifact on the table. It was a scroll of some kind, Tony decided, upon which somebody had written in gobbledygook. 

"Hoo, ho!" That excalmation came from Thor, who was bouncing in his seat, which was in danger of breaking under the Thunder God's child like enthusiam. "I believe I recognize the seal on this!" He burst out loudly.

Fury raised a ferocious eyebrow. It wasn't often that Thor knew about things off the back of his hand. "Care to enlighten the class, Thor?" Fury bit out as politely as possible.

"It is a scroll of the Mages Consortium! They are a group of magical users who monitor each other and raise new generations of mages from all over the nine realms! It was where-" Thor cut himself off and seemed to deflate, a querulous look stealing across his face. It was rather pathetic to see. 

Nick Fury would be damned to hell and back if he let emotions get in the way of his meeting. "Where what, Thor?"

Thor cast his eyes down to his lap and worried his fingers. "It was where Loki went to receive his further training," Thor said in a quavering voice. Steve flinched sympathetically, and Tony winced at a the memory of when Thor had crashed down to the tower, to tell his friends that the danger of Malekith had passed when Loki had sacrificed himself. The Thunder God had delivered the news stoically, but had promptly burst into wracking sobs upon remembering his brother. The rest of the night, Thor had wailed at the loss of his mother and his beloved brother, and even Jane had teared up. Natasha had caught her wiping her eyes in the bathroom, and when asked about why she was crying, had told the red-headed assassin, "I wish I was able to thank him, that's all". When asked about what for, Jane smiled sadly and had whispered, "For Thor, of course."

Thor had spent the rest of the week in the doldrums, until Steve had approached him with a cartoonish depiction of a scowling Loki. "It's so you'll have something to remember him by," he'd said nervously, handing it over to Thor. Thor had taken the picture with a grateful smile and had proceeded to put it over his bed, thanking Steve for his most thoughtful gift. Since then, JARVIS had reported that Thor had taken to staging conversations and voicing his doubts to the scowling picture. Steve had wrung his poor hands and had blamed himself for Thor's mental break, until Jane assured them that little Loki was being used as a sort of diary to confide with at the end of the day. 

Taking pity on Thor, Tony had made a passport sized photocopy of the picture for Thor to keep in his wallet or breastplate when he was out. Thor had then proceeded to squeeze Tony to within an inch of his life, sobbing his gratefulness once more. The only person who was a little freaked out was Clint, who when he had tried to sneak some pizza money out of Thor's wallet, was met with a picture of a miniature, angry, little Loki. He had dropped the wallet like it was hot and had jumped into a vent, screaming about how maniacs were invading wallets and minds, now.

At the meeting, Thor's bottom lip was wobbling dangerously, and Steve, emotional wonder-boy that he was, jumped in to rub his arm soothingly. Thor breathed deeply and gathered himself, and continued, "Yes. The Mages Consortium is where the sorcerers of the nine realms go to either further their education, teach, or for a traveller, pick out an apprentice. The seal is definitely theirs, and I think they would be glad to receive something of theirs back."

Fury looked ponderous and sat down heavily. "So if we returned this scroll to them, they might be in our debt, is that what you're saying?"

Thor's expression turned considering. "Yes, one would assume so."

Tony perked up. "Does this mean we're going on an intergalactic field trip? Does it? I'll go pack my Jammys right now!"

Thor's expression turned upset again. "The Biffost has not been repaired as of yet," he said mournfully. "I am only able to travel here when my father uses his dark magic to open a portal. I am sorry Man of Iron," Thor looked up sadly, "but we will not be able to travel anywhere for the moment. Perhaps you have a Mage here, on Midg-Earth?"

Fury cursed up and down, bemoaning the loss of a potential favor to have been earned while Steve blushed at his boss' tirade. Fury dismissed them with a grumbled, "fuckers," to which Tony bid a light, "cheeri-o!" and hightailed it with the rest of the Avengers.

"What's with the cheeri-o?" Clint asked.

"Going to London, Clint baby! There's a young researcher I want to seduce over my company at the conference on the Biotechnological Innovations for Technologies in Identifying Single Nucleotide - you're not even listening now, are you, birdbrain?" Tony trailed off wearily. Clint's mouth has sagged open as he listened to Tony through a haze. The engineer rolled his eyes and proceeded down the aisle, leaving his teammates in his wake. He had researchers to steal.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Tony was treating himself to a strawberry ice cream cone (yes, he liked strawberry, so sue him) while attempting to fend off pigeons in Trafalgar Square as a little party for having stolen the researchers that he had wanted. Stark Industries' biotechnology sector would definitely benefit from having those brains on board. He swatted away yet another pigeon aiming for his cone, sending the sqwaking bird veering off course, right into the face of a sleeping infant. Cursing his luck, Tony hurried over to the screaming infant who was now being comforted by his harried father. 

"Oh, hey, sorry about that, damned birds are everywhere. Is your baby alright?" Tony asked over the infant's loud sobs. Upon inspecting the child and determining that there had been no damage, he looked up to the father, ready with another apology, and stopped short at the sight of a pair of venomous green eyes glaring at him. 

"Are you completely devoid of brains, Stark!?"

Oh shit, Tony thought. Of all the kids he had to fling a bird at, it had to be Loki's kid. 

"Answer me, Stark!" The trickster hissed while bouncing the now hiccuping baby. 

"In my defense," Tony replied carefully, "I wasn't aiming for your baby." Loki glowered harder and Tony realized a tad too late that he would have been better served by a genuine apology, or a most rational people would do whe confronted by a trickster God, running in the opposite direction. 

Loki looked about ready to turn him into a hamster, when the infant in his arms gave a squeaky wail, diverting the attentions of both men towards it. At the incredulous stares of the two men, the baby gave a fanged smile, and proceeded to chew on Tony's dangling necktie. 

"Hey! That's a thousand dollar designer tie you're chewing on!" Tony cried indignantly, but made no move to pry the tie away. Loki clucked indulgently and managed to retrieve the now torn and sopping wet tie from his fanged monster baby and looked pleased at the retribution. 

"I consider it to be appropriate recompense, Stark," Loki drawled. Tucking his tie away, Tony took a moment to properly look at the menace of New York. Loki looked much younger than he did during the invasion. His hair was cut short and slicked back, and his skin was of a healthy color, a far cry from the ashen, pale, complexion he had before. With the cooing baby, he looked perfectly domestic, happy even, clad in a pale green dress shirt and black skinny jeans. 

"So... Awkward, much?" Tony asked. Loki glared at him again, and Tony felt the disdain and anger simmering behind those ivy green eyes. Speaking of which...

"Hey, what's with the contacts, Rudolph?" Tony asked curiously. As long as Loki wasn't attacking him, he might as well indulge his curiosity.

"What are you blathering on about, Stark. Speak sense or speak not at all," Loki said swinging his child. 

"Your eyes... They're green. Kinda pretty, too," Tony added, without care for the consequences of hitting on an irate alien God. 

Loki looked at Tony rather blandly and replied, "Complimenting another in a romantic manner while committed to another, Stark? How crass." He paused to shift the baby and continued, "However, I suppose I can humor you. My eyes have two natural states - red, the color I was born with, and green, the color I adapt to when I shapeshift. Now I would like to know why you wished to enquire of something so personal, instead of, say, fighting me?" Loki challenged with a tilt of his head.

Tony sat gawping at the God of mischief's unwitting explanation which had cleared the air on a few issues in his mind. Still, Tony decided to probe further and asked, "Do you like the color blue?"

Loki crinkled his forehead in irritation and said, "Have we suddenly regressed to being younglings? Why do you ask such inane questions, Stark? At any rate, I do not like the color blue, I find it far too dull in all its shades, for my tastes." He went back to caring for his child, who had once again set its eyes on Tony's tie. For his part, Tony sat in silence next to the trickster God and his baby, contemplating the bombshell he had just been dealt. Most probably, Loki was also under influence of the tesseract when he had attacked New York, just as Barton had been. He snatched his tie back gently and turned once more to Loki, this time taking care to choose his words.

"So, um, when you attacked New York, you weren't all there, were you? I mean, your eyes were blue."

"Indeed, Stark. I'm surprised you connected the dots as fast as you did. Not many bother to remember the eye color of the man who defenestrated them," he replied with a smirk.

Tony flinched at the memory and continued, "Why didn't you tell anyone then? You could have asked for clemency, extenuating circumstances, insanity..."

Loki looked back up and gave him a soft, sad, smile. It was a completely incongruous look on the trickster's finely boned, sharp featured face. "And who would have believed me, Stark? You? Your government? The King of Asgard? No. No, it was much easier to believe that the mad, jealous trickster wrecked havoc on the world, as it was his calling to true evil. Life is always easier with a scapegoat." Loki sighed and stared off into the distance, while Tony stared at his profile. How had no one, not even Thor, realized this? If this was what Loki was like normally, then how had no one questioned the abrupt change in his behavior? Did Loki even get a trial in Asgard, when Earth was so willing to wash their hands of him? If he was under influence, how did he lose it? What was it about him that made everyone accept that he was jealous and evil?

"Hey," Tony broke the silence. Loki looked back at him, questioning, and Tony asked, "you want to get some ice cream? My cone melted," he said mournfully, shaking his pathetically soggy cone in his face. Loki smiled and accepted Tony's hand up, and both men and the baby trailed to the ice cream cart.


	2. Tony vs the Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, I've been gone so long, forgive me friends! Here, have an extra long chapter to make up for it. Updates will be sporadic on account of my thesis work, sorry about that! But fear not, I won't forget you all!

"So, I gotta ask," Tony said, "what's with the the baby? It's yours, right?"

Loki managed to look unamused while licking his mango flavored ice cream, an impossible feat in and of itself, according to Tony. "The child is a boy, Stark, not an it. And no, he is not mine per se," Loki said.

Tony sat up in alarm. "You mean you stole the baby?" He shrieked.

"Norns, no, Stark, don't be obtuse," Loki growled. "I am not so monstrous as to steal away a child from its home! He is an apprentice - an orphan pyromancer from the Consortium. As I am a pyromancer myself, I took it upon myself to care for the boy. It is rather difficult to train a pyro, I can tell you. I was a hellion child for my mother, bless her, even when I didn't intend to be difficult." 

"Consortium? This wouldn't be the Mages Consortium, now, would it?" Tony hazarded.

Loki looked at Stark and asked, "I suppose Thor told you, didn't he?" At Tony's nod, he continued, "Yes. The Mages Consortium regularly trains fledgling mages and assigns apprentices to unmatched mages. It is perhaps the most powerful organization in the nine realms, but we are sworn to neutrality so as not to become political pawns."

"So you're a part of this group?"

Loki smiled with no small amount of pride. "At the moment, I represent my homeland at the High Table, Stark, and thus have a seat as a reigning power there."

"You represent Asgard?" Tony asked, confused. Surely Thor would have realized Loki was alive if he had been speaking on behalf of the whole planet. 

Loki hissed angrily, making Tony jump in his seat. "Do not speak to me of that place! I speak of Jotunhiem, my birth planet."

"Oh, the one you tried to blow up?" Tony asked carelessly before willing his tongue to be still. The damage was done, however, as Loki's face drained of color and rage twisted his features. Tony waited for the shitstorm that would surely befall him, and wished that he had had time to say goodbye to his two loves - Pepper and Jarvis. 

Loki seemed to be controlling his breathing, and when several seconds passed without any attack from him, Tony relaxed some of his sphincters. "Stark," Loki breathed, "you are unaware of the full situation, and so I will let you live. I shall even favor you with an explanation, because I, for some reason, find you endearing in your spontaneity." Tony perked up at the compliment and waited for Loki to continue. "I was abandoned on Jotunhiem as a child by my father, who was king. When Odin won the war between Jotunhiem and Asgard, he found me and took me in, seeing a future opportunity to install me as a puppet King. He raised me as a brother to Thor, but not as his equal. No, I was ever the child in the shadows, told to grasp at Thor's robes and know my place. I pursued magic to get away from his arena, but even then, the taunts followed. The sly trickster, they called me," Loki huffed. 

"I was desperate. Even though I trained with my mother, I joined the consortium and trained under darker sorcerers. Angrboda took me in as their own, and imparted their knowledge unto me. I held it dear, and even when I left them, knew that this was the one thing that was truly mine to command. Not the power over elements, not healing, not construction, but dark magic. Illusions, teleportation, even fire storms all draw on energy from Yggdrasil itself, and after Angrboda, I was the only one who could do it." Loki's face took on a slightly manic gleam that Tony recognized as one that came over himself when he was in the grips of an engineering innovation. 

"So then what happened? You obviously went home," Tony prompted.

Loki sighed. "I went home," he agreed. "I went home, and in doing so, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I sought to show my father what I had achieved. I wanted to show my mother on how I had built on my training. I yearned for Thor to look at me with the same wonder he did as when we were children. I was disappointed on all fronts," he said. "My life became monotonous, and my magic was restricted to what I would do in privacy. I would play with my powers on distant worlds and their peoples, but never on Asgard. Why give the people a reason to fear me more?"

"When Thor was banished to Midgard, and I was made acting regent, his friends sought to bring him back into power. Shortly prior to this, I had found out my true heritage as a Jotun, and I was eager to prove myself worthy as an Asgardian. In a fit of madness, when Thor's friends decided to bring him back, I unleashed the power of the Bifrost - a means of hyperspace travel for us - on Jotunhiem. Long story short, Thor came back, we fought, I tried to commit suicide by falling off of the bridge, and fell into the hands of the Mad Titan. Oh, it may interest you to know," Loki pointed to Tony, "that it was his forces that came to Midgard when I was tortured into acting under his power. I don't think you need worry about another attack for at least another half century, you did decimate his fleet with a nuclear missile," Loki finished wryly.

Tony was gobsmacked into silence. He couldn't find it within himself to blame Loki for doing whatever he could to escape torture, having been in the same position himself. Tony surrendered himself to his impulses and reached over to glomp Loki into a hug. 

"Stark! Unhand me, you fiend!" Loki screeched and wriggled. Had the Iron Man finally taken leave of his already scant senses? Tony clung on in what he hoped was a soothing manner, and hoped that he had calmed Loki enough so that he wouldn't wreak havoc in his grief. Eventually, Loki struggled free and put a foot's distance between Stark and himself and his child. "I recognize that you sought to help, but I insist that you not do that again. Not only do I not need hugs, you reek of an odor most foul," Loki said, crinkling his nose in distaste.

"Hey! My cologne is drawn from pure ambrosia! It costs a thousand dollars a pop!"

"Stark! Do you want me to continue or not?"

"Yes please," Tony said meekly, and waited for Loki to continue. 

Loki gathered himself once more before continuing, "When your forces apprehended me, and your monster had beaten the control off of me, I escaped Thor's clutches in Asgard. I wandered for a while until I decided that I had no recourse but to go to the consortium. There, I was slowly able to heal. I reestablished contact with my mentor, Angrboda, who is a half Jotun themselves, and they insisted that I accompany them back home."

"Hold up," Tony said, "why do you keep calling Angry-body a them?"

"Angrboda, you half assed simian. Jotuns are capable of both bearing and siring children of they so choose. To this end, they prefer to be called by a gender neutral term. Therefore, we use them, they, and their when we talk about or to them."

Tony stroked his goatee in thought. "So technically, you're a them, not a guy."

Loki's face became completely expressionless as he said, "That is correct."

Tony's eyes gleamed. "So you're both? Ha, I knew you were too pretty! Oh, hey! Do you get periods? Can you produce sperm or jack off when you're pregnant, or would that be too many male hormones? Do you have balls on the outside and ovaries on the inside, or are they all in one place? This is so cool!" Tony blathered excitedly.

Loki's controlled expression went from purposefully blank to bemused, to horrified, and finally settled on confused. Humans found this to be interesting? How was Tony Stark not repulsed? "You find me to be... cool, Tony Stark?" Loki croaked. Tony nodded exuberantly and jittered in his seat. 

"Hey, do you have cycles?" Tony's continued carelessly.

Loki smirked. He could play the game just as well. "I do. In fact, my womb is at its most fertile right now," he said truthfully. His statement was met with shocked silence until Tony clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a hysterical giggle. Loki smiled at the moral before him, who was laughing with Loki rather than at him, for the first time in the demigod's life. 

Tony quietening himself and motioned for Loki to continue. "Where was I? Oh, yes. Angrboda took me back with them to Jotunhiem and for the first time, I was able to meet with my birth family on less threatening terms. As it turns out, killing a tyrant king who sought your own death is not so much of a crime there, and it was happy coincidence that the area the Bifrost targeted was a barren wasteland. Now due to the energies of the Bifrost, it has melted into a sprawling body of water. I was free of any charges in Jotunhiem, and my half-brother, the King Helblindi, was rather taken with the prospect of having a 'tiny' brother. My stepparent, Farbauti, was also glad to meet the one who freed them of Laufey, my blood father, and installed me as the representative from Jotunhiem to the consortium. It's a good start to opening borders once more, and now Jotunhiem is healing at long last."

"So... you live on Jotunhiem now?"

Loki nodded. "With Angrboda. They have expressed an interest in having me as their housemate, and I suspect of things pan out properly, a proper mate in the future."

Tony was stunned into silence. "You're engaged?!"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Loki calmly replied. 

"So you'll get married? Can I come? I'll be best man! No, best human! I'll be good, I swear!" Tony burst out. 

Loki chortled. "We will not wed for perhaps a few years more, Stark. Angrboda needs to set their affairs straight, and convince the King that we are a good match for each other. Helblindi is already loathe to let go of his ambassador and new brother. Depending on how I feel towards you in a few years, I will myself invite you to the royal wedding where you may be the human ambassador to Jotunhiem, the first in nearly a millennium. The last one was a man named Merle- no Myrrdin-"

"MERLIN?" Tony shrieked. 

Loki nodded. "Yes, that's it, Merlin, the half human."

"Wait, only half human? What other half was he?"

"Fae, I think. He may be Elven, I don't remember. I shall ask him next time," Loki noted.

Tony was bouncing on the edge of his seat. Not only had he determined that Loki was not a threat, he had been awesome enough to possibly land a trip to a different planet and act as ambassador to an alien prince! What's more, Merlin was alive! He would have the dickwads at the Royal Historical Society foaming at the mouth with that information! Tony's thoughts were broken with the happy gurgling of Loki's baby apprentice, who Loki informed him was drawing on the positive thoughts and feelings Tony was exuding. 

"Is the baby a Jotun too?" Tony aske curiously, poking at said baby. Loki shifted his child away from Tony's reach and shook his head. "He is of mixed blood. Vanir, definitely, and Elven as well. His fangs are an Elven trait, after all." 

The baby preened and smiled with his impressive fangs to Tony who immediately stopped tickling it. "What's its name?"

"His name, Stark. He is definitively male. He is called Einar."

Tony watched Loki interact with the baby and felt a plan formulating at the back of his mind. Here was a royal alien sorcerer, who was able to tolerate him for extended periods of time. Wouldn't he make a great ally/friend? He was also a contact at the hoodoo consortium, that was bound to come in handy. 

"Hey Loki, do you want a job?"

Loki looked at him rather unamusedly. "I have a job Stark. Ambassador of Jotunhiem and what not."

"I mean a second job. You could be the ambassador to Earth as well! More accurately, Stark Industries. And think about it, in a few years when you get tired of me, your kid," Tony pointed to Einar, "would have a permanent position on one world at least! Don't tell me it's not a good offer," Tony wheedled. 

Loki paused in thought. Midgard had seen significant advances in the past few decades, and with Jotunhiem opening it borders at long last, they would be a useful ally. Furthermore, if Midgard's eventual magical representatives to the consortium were indebted to Loki for his guidance, then it was all the better. Also, if Einar could safely claim Midgard as a home, he would be able to safely reside here without fear of anyone claiming him as their orphaned child. 

Loki looked back at Tony with a genuine smile, mirrored by Einar in his arms. "You have a deal, Stark."

"Great!" Tony trilled. "I'm going to get things set up, then! How do I contact you?"

"Light a candle of beeswax say my name thrice, with intent, then convey your message. I shall arrive promptly." 

"Yeah, sure. This is going to be great, you'll see! Tony Stark's ideas never fail! I'm-"

Tony stopped talking when he realized that both Loki and Einar had stopped paying attention, and we're instead focusing on their ice creams. With a satisfied smile, Tony dug into his own dessert, happy with his latest stroke of genius.


	3. Home Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki meets SHIELD. Einar generously donates a gift of his own digestive making. Tony is less than pleased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me! I completely let myself forget about this fic! Please, please, friends, it will not happen again, I swear on my honor as a jotuun.

"I swear, he's legit!" Tony said for the umpteenth time.

Fury merely cocked an eyebrow as well as his gun at Tony, and Clint did the same with his bow. Natasha flexed her thigh menacingly. Tony danced out of the way and hid behind Thor's massive frame, screeching, "He's good and stuff! He was like Clint, brainwashed! Tortured too! He's alright now, though, even has a baby!"

Steve knotted his eyebrows in concern. "Loki has a baby? I'm not sure that's very comforting..."

"Listen, I can call him, and you can judge for yourselves. I'm alive, aren't I? Those scans you did on my noggin showed that I'm perfectly sane and in control, too. Trust me on this, we could have a great ally here, and you're at throwing away the chance of a lifetime!"

Fury huffed. "Fine! But I want Barton and Romanoff on sniper duty, and Hulk close at hand! Captain, you circle the area from the air. Thor, you're in the sky as well, and if Loki decides to get jiggy, you blast him with electricity, got it?" At the team's nods, Fury walked away to secure the area, with a grumble of, "Shithead Stark."

As Tony was lighting the candle, it was extinguished by a fat droplet of water. Tony looked up to see the source of the water,mans discovered that they were Thor's massive tears. "Tony Stark," Thor rumbled, "if what you say about Loki is true, then I will be greatly indebted to you for bringing him back to me. We parted on terrible terms, and I have longed for one opportunity to tell him how sorry I am for letting him down, in so many ways. Even if he does not forgive me, my heart will be gladdened with the knowledge that he lives on, and is happy once more."

"Uh, sure thing, big guy," Tony said sheepishly. He watched Thor trot away, and felt a wriggle of doubt. From what he'd gathered, Loki was never truly happy with his family in Asgard. There was such a thing as ties too broken to mend, but given the amount of time Loki had on his hands, perhaps a reconciliation would be possible. He lit the candle and said, "Hi, Loki, Loki, Loki. I said it three times, there. Could you maybe pop down? Fury wants to have a chat with you. Expect hostile attitudes and swear words. Over and out."

Tony finished unsurely and waited with bated breath, feeling like a bit of a boob. What if Loki had been joking? Suddenly, the candle snuffed out, and out of thin air, Loki stood in all his armoured regalia. Across his chest was a baby sling, with Einar poking his head out over it. "Stark, you called to discuss terms, I presume?"

Tony grinned and yelled up at the sky, "See, I told you he was alright! Suck it, disbelievers!" Turning back to Loki, Tony said, "I called you to meet the guys, so there won't be any hostilities when we begin our deal and our timeless friendship. You know Bruce," Tony gestured to the meek looking, bespectacled man who waved, "and Fury, the big bad wolf."

"Shove it and shut it, Stark," Fury growled. He turned to Loki who met his eye with both of his own calm ones. Inside his satchel, Einer emitted a quavering wail. Everyone's eyes were drawn to the squirming baby now emitting displeased noises.

"Could I possibly have access to a table?" Loki requested. "Einar has wet himself, and will soon begin to smell if not changed."

"Fine," Fury spat out, " but we're watching your every move, fucker!"

Loki tsked at the language and dragged Tony out to help, despite the billionaire's protests. Fury watched carefully and decided that anyone who could force Stark to change a dirty nappy could definitely have a moment of his time.

*~*~* 

"So that's your story," Fury said. Loki merely shifted his baby and cooed at him. Fury's one eye popped at the blatant disrespect, but the remained silent nonetheless. While they had been discussing the events surrounding Manhattan, Fury had noticed the Loki's eyes were in fact a vibrant green, and that his bearing was greatly changed from the maniac who had laid waste to Manhattan. "Now, I don't know why, but I'm inclined to believe you," Fury said. "But we need solid proof. If you could undergo the same scans Barton did, and the same fluctuations from tesseract show up post scan, then there won't be a problem. As I see it, we're actually benefitting more from your proposal with Stark than when Thor promised us Asgard's 'help'," he said. 

Loki scoffed. Asgard's definition of help hadn't been very promising in the first place. After Manhattan, Earth had faced several threats, and the only help Asgard had sent was Thor, and even then, Thor was often whisked away from battle by the Allfather's orders before he could debrief, or was simply not sent at all. Under Loki's guidance, humans would be introduced to the training of other magic users, so they wouldn't have to depend on Asgard at all. "I am amenable to this. The effects of the tesseract can still resonate with those it had touched, this is true. I need to find someone to hold my apprentice, however. Perhaps I may call my partner?"

Fury frowned. "Why don't you just get Stark to hold him? You two are pretty tight, aren't you?"

Loki considered this and shrugged in acquiescence. "Yes, there is a significant amount of tightness between Stark and myself. I agree," he said, and proceeded to pass Tony the baby, even as he voiced his protests. 

Loki proceeded to follow Fury to a neurology unit, where he happily interrogated the technicians on the equipment and charmed the pants off of Dr. Collins, ensuring that he was strapped in extra gently. After the scans were conducted, he was even offered a sucker as he left the unit. The smarmy bastard even kissed the back of the nurse's hands, both male and female.

Fury rolled his eye and left Loki with Banner to make small talk. "Cute kid," Banner said. 

"Thank you."

"He's yours?"

"Skies above, no, no children yet."

"Yet?"

"I assume Stark has told you of my dual genetalia?" Banner's shocked silence was answer enough, but Loki did not care to elaborate. He waited for the doctor to draw his own conclusions.

"You talked to Tony about your genitals? Tony?" 

Loki did a double take. These mortals always surprised him. Instead of being repulsed by his nature as those in Asgard undoubtedly were, Midgardians were more accepting, and found scandal in different things entirely. 

"Yes, Stark. He was rather persistent. I only got him to stop by telling him about my fertile times."

Bruce gawped gracelessly, but soon collected himself. "Well, if you ever need medical assistance on Earth, I will be on hand. You might have to walk me through any procedures though."

Loki smiled gratefully. He liked how this man did not apologize for his actions during the attack, as he more than anyone realized how necessary they were in restoring Loki's mental equilibrium. Despite fighting against him, Banner was still courteous and downright gentlemanly, and mature in his inquires and outlook. The opposite of Stark, really, but both men had their place in the world, and seemed to play off of each other rather well. 

"I thank you, Doctor Banner," Loki said plainly, hoping that Bruce would hear the unsaid things in his words. 

Apparently, he did. "Thanks, Loki. Do we have to call you Your Highness or some other title?"

"No, Loki will be fine. I am not Loki of Asgard, or even of Jotunhiem. I am not Loki Odinson, or Laufeyson. I am simply Loki, and I believe I am better for it," he conceded, and realized that the had vocalized the last part of his thoughts. Fury and Stark had also reentered the room at the same time, and while Fury was taken aback, Tony took this in stride. 

"Well, Simply Loki, the test results came back conclusive - the tesseract really did do a whammy on you. You healed pretty nice, though," Tony said. 

"Ah, you must credit Angrboda with that. They were instrumental in helping with my recovery."

"Well, I'll send the guy flowers, then," Fury said. "And I hope you realize that most people here will use the male pronoun for you, since you appear as a man," he added.

Loki shrugged. "I myself did not know of my biological nature until too long ago. I've spent most of my life as a man, so I don't particularly mind," he said nonchalantly.

Fury nodded. Inside, he was going a jig of glee at the thought that humans would be able to defend themselves without the likes of Asgard, and that they would get exposure to magical means. He would have to appoint someone to oversee that area, though. Fury's thoughts were interrupted by Stark's grating voice. "Can we discuss how you'll be collaborating with Stark Industries now?" Tony whined at Loki.

For his part, Loki rolled his eyes and acquiesced. Tony dragged a tired Banner along with them, all the while trying to foist the baby into his reluctant arms. At the doorway, Loki paused and turned back to Fury. "Director dear, please do not forget the small matter of Einar's citizenship. Surely it would not be too difficult for you to arrange it."

"Yeah, sure," Fury drawled. "And who exactly is his contact on Earth supposed to be? He is a minor, you know."

Loki scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. "Why, Stark, of course."

"Hey! What?"

"Do be quiet, Stark. I do not know anyone else on Earth who has so openly stated their motives to me. In the wrong person's care, my boy might end up as someone's scientific... curiosity, shall we say," Loki raised his eyebrows pointedly, "and that simply will not do." A tense silence followed Loki's words, after which Fury nodded grimly. 

"Whatever else happens here," Bruce stated lowly, "the Avengers, including their handlers, take care of their own, don't we Director?"

"Yeah, yeah," Fury agreed. "Now get out of here, you paranoid smartasses!"

With that, Loki turned on his heel imperiously, and stalked out of the room, with Stark following behind, crowing about how he had just owned Fury. Even Banner seemed somewhat pleased. Ah well, Loki thought, the poor Director knew what he had signed up for, and Loki wasn't going to make it any easier for him. 

He let Stark lead the way to a prosperous, new alliance, jabbering away the entire time. Ah, the things he did for...well, himself. Einar warbled morosely, and Stark passed him over. Well, Loki thought, himself and his family.


	4. Click you heels twice, and think of home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein we meet Loki's better (and significantly larger) half, and Tony becomes and intergalactic ambassador.
> 
> Also, Steve is choked, and not in a sexy way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slow update is slow.
> 
> Forgive me, my readers, my plot bunnies escaped. Fear not, for I have now recaptured them.

"Einar, flames," Loki said, summoning fire into his own hands. "See? Now you try it."

The baby looked at Loki's hand, transfixed, and made to grab the dancing flames, only to have his hand pass through them, unscathed. Of course, Pepper chose this time to enter the room, and promptly started whaling on Loki, yelling that he was trying to burn an innocent baby. It had taken Tony's frantic entreaties for Pepper to stand down, and once everything had been explained, she had waster no time in spiriting the baby away to fawn over him. 

"My lessons have been disrupted," Loki said mournfully as he was led away. 

"Oh, relax," Tony shushed him. "He's not even two years old yet, there's no rush."

Loki pouted and sighed, allowing himself to be led away by Tony. "Where are you taking me, small mortal?"

"To the lab!" Tony crowed, happy enough to ignore the jab at his height. "I'm going to put you to work!" 

"Ugh."

The rest of the evening was spent with Tony prodding Loki to do magic and examining the energy signatures that he put out. "Fascinating," Tony would mumble evertime Loki did something new. "If matter cannot be created or destroyed, how are you conjuring ice?"

Loki glared at him, his red Jotuun eyes failing to intimidate the excited engineer. "I have not the time to explain basic magic to you. I am being summoned to the Mages Consortium. I have to give them an update on the wellbeing of my ward."

"Don't forget to tell them about me, Tony the Genius Billionaire Philanthropist Ally!"

With an almighty sigh, Loki vanished, leaving Tony alone with his inflated ego. Satisfied that he had just acted for the betterment of humanity, he went over to Pepper and the baby to blow raspberries on the latter's belly. Pepper glanced fondly at her man devolving to the baby's level, his normally coherent words replaced by coos and squeaks. 

"Oh, Tony," she sighed dreamily, "you've never been more attractive."

Tony shot Pepper a sly look, and in full view of her, proceeded to change Einar's diaper. "Eh? Eh? Is this turning you on?" He began to powder the baby's bottom. "How about now?"

"Tony!" Steve gasped, scandalized. "Are you using an infant to further your horniness? How could you? And Pepper-AGH!"

Pepper stopped in the process of shedding her clothing, looking at Steve innocently. "What? He's acting responsibly. It's very hot."

Steve proceeded to storm over and with a righteous glare at Tony, swept the baby into his arms and fled. "Don't you let anyone use you, young man," Steve advised the warbling baby. "You don't have to please Tony, or anyone else. You just do what's right, and-EEK!" Steve stumbled backwards as Loki intercepted him.

"While I am glad that you are taking an interest in my boy, I must ask you to relinquish him into my care," Loki said agitatedly. "I have just spied a horde of uncultured humans at the base of the tower, chanting some anti-alien immigration rhetoric. I will not have my helpless boy put into danger, so I am taking him back home-"

"To Asgard, brother?" Thor asked hopefully, bursting into the room.

Loki shot him a disdainful glance and sniffed contemptuously. "Home to my affianced. On Jotunhiem. Anthony, contact me when the bumpkins are gone." Loki turned to open a portal, but was stopped by Tony, who was wearing a manic grin and a sinister gleam lighting up his eyes. 

"Wait, I can solve this!" Tony cried. "Don't leave! I just need one minute!" He turned and grabbed Steve, and began wrestling his shirt off. 

"Tony! Stop! You're violating me!" Steve gasped.

"I need to get you suited up!" Tony grunted, now attacking Steve's jeans. Steve jumped away and hid behind Pepper. 

"I'll get suited up! What's your plan, though?" 

"Just follow my lead, Pinky," Tony smiled. He turned to an uncertain Loki and flung an arm around his newest friend. "I promised that you and Loki Jr. would be safe here, and I'm going to make good on that promise," Tony swore. "Steve! Get your tight ass here!"

Steve slunk over, looking suitably tight and uncomfortable. "Okay, I'm ready," he mumbled. Tony ushered Loki, Einar, Steve, and the rest of the team outside to the balcony, where he addressed the gathered protestors. 

"Hey! Shut up and listen to me, I'm way smarter than all of you!" Tony yelled, effectively silencing the protestors. "Now, I know that you're all frightened of what it means for humans if we allow aliens to live here. I have to tell you that you may miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime because of your fear and closemindedness. This is Loki, my friend. You probably know him from a few months ago." These words were met by a chorus of boos. "Alright, shut up! Loki's been tested and has given us information that he was under the power of a bigger threat to Earth. He has agreed to cooperate and give us information on the rest of the universe, which we are ignorant about up till now. He is a wizard-"

"Mage-"

Tony shushed Loki impatiently and dragged him forward by the hand. "Look at him. He's come to us with an offer of intelligence and introducing Earth to technology beyond anything we'd ever imagined! And all he asks in return is that we help his little baby."

The crowd fell silent as they contemplated the wriggling bundle strapped to Loki's chest. Tony used the moment to drag Steve forward to place his hand in Loki's. Predictably, Steve blushed. "I can understand if you don't trust me," Tony continued. "But even Captain America, the ultimate patriot and protector of humanity, believes him. Steve?"

Steve cleared his throat and addressed the crowd. "I believe that allowing Loki to live on Earth and contribute to the betterment of our society is a logical way forward. He was another victim to a greater evil, and it is not the way of Earth to rescind help to those who need it. Loki is offering us his help in return for ours, and frankly, I think that it's a good cooperatoin. As for the child, well, look at him!" 

Steve held Einar up, Lion King style, while the infant dribbled happily. The crowd was immediately taken with him, and combined with Steve's impassioned pleas for a chance for the aliens, began to murmur approvingly amongst themselves. Soon, the crowd dispersed, and Steve led Loki back inside, hand protectively on his shoulder. 

"Well, I'm right sorry that you had to see that. Humanity could do a great deal worse than being allied to such a gentleman- ACK!" Steve was cut short as he was lifted bodily and throttled. Loki jumped in surprise and turned to help Steve, but instead stood beaming at his large, blue, attacker. 

"Angrboda!" Loki cried happily. "How did you come to be here?" He asked, as Tony struggled to pull Steve away from the clutches of the angry frost giant.

"Loki, my darling," the large new addition to the room rumbled. "I came to take you and the babe home. I heard about the human negativity here, and will not have you subjected to that. Besides, your brother is being a terrible pest, worrying and whinging. And now," he net on, giving Steve a hard shake, "I find this puny human pawing all over you. What say you in your defense, small man?"

Steve flailed hopelessly until Loki distracted his beloved. "Come now, Boda," Loki said placatingly, "he was trying to help sell my good image to these people. He's a revered man here."

"Oh," Angrboda said carelessly. "Terribly sorry about that. I'm just a smidge protective of my Loki. Can't blame me, can you, given what all he's been through with the people who were supposed to protect him," he said, eyeing a hurt Thor. "Loki, come home. Helblindi has been eating my head about getting some news from you for weeks now. How are the negotiations going? Oh, wait-" he said, cutting Loki off, "tell your horrid brother directly. He's been chewing my ear off." Angrboda took Loki's hand and teleported. 

They reappeared seconds later in an infinitely colder room. Angrboda yelled in sprprise as he saw a little human clinging to him. Tony looked around happily, and shivered excitedly. "Th-this is s-s-o coool!" He chattered, shivering wildly. "Is this Jo-Jo-Jot-"

"Jotunhiem," Loki provided coolly. "Stark, what possessed you to grab onto us when we teleported?"

"I was h-holding Steve, and he was being choked by your lo-loverboy," Tony chattered mororsely. 

"Oops," Angrboda said carelessly, dropping the human that he was still holding. Steve crumpled into a heap on top of Tony, wheezing. "I completely forgot about you. Sorry," he said, sounding utterly insincere. 

"What in the name of Ymir's great googlies is going on!?" A new voice thundered. Everyone spun to face the new speaker, who was in fact the king of Jotunhiem. "Someone explain! You!" Helblindi-King reached out from where he sat on the throne and scooped Loki out of the group and plopped him onto his lap. 

"Hello, Helblindi," Loki muttered, adjusting himself on the royal lap. "I've brought news, and some tagalongs."

Helblindi chuckled and petted Loki's head fondly. "I can see that. Are they for me to mate with?"

"No," A new voice added. "Ymir's tits, boy, do you see every new being as a potential mate?"

"I'm single, and I'm not happy about it," Helblindi sulked. "Mother, go away!"

The elder giant walked forward and cuffed her son on the ear. "You will respect me, king or not. You could learn a thing or two from your brother. Hello, Loki," the giant cooed, hugging Loki to their bosom. 

"Hello, Mother Farbauti," Loki grinned. "I bring favorable tidings for Jotunhiem. I have secured a peace with Midgard, for their inclusion into the Mages Consortium. I have agreed to teach the art of seidr, and for that, they have given my apprentice Midgardian citizenship."

"How nice," Helblindi remarked. "We are now allied with a realm of tiny, short lived, beings. How is this of any benefit to Jotunhiem?"

"Earth would be a great vacation spot," Tony supplied from the corner where he was cuddling with Steve to keep warm. "Besides, you're directly allied with me, Tony Stark. Here's my card," he said handing the king an embossed calling card.

"Anthony Stark PhD, PhD, PhD. Iron Man, Chairman of Stark Industries, Genius, Billionaire, Philanthropist, former Playboy" Helblindi read out. "What is an iron man?"

"It's a suit that I created to fly around in and eliminate bad guys. It's partially powered by this awesome electromagnet in my chest," Tony said, pointing at his chest. "Completely clean, renewable, energy. I'm also a great nightlight."

Helblindi looked interested at Tony's impromptu spiel. "Clean, renewable, energy? Perhaps this alliance has some use after all," he smiled. "Loki, I take it all back," Helblindi said jovially, "you are my favourite brother!"

"Hey!" A far off voice called indignantly. 

"Ignore Bylestir," Helblindi said dismissively. "He has the looks and intellect of a boulder. Loki, my precious, are you here to stay?"

Loki shook his head. "I just popped by to relay the news, and to pick up some texts to make a lesson plan for my babe. Einar, can you say 'Ancient Discourses on the Nature of Ice Magicks?"

"Pthbbbt," the baby responded by blowing a raspberry. Loki grinned, pleased, and hugged his infant apprentice. "Well, we're off, Helblindi. Nice seeing you," Loki said happily. "I'll be by with a formal written agreement between Jotunhiem and Midgard."

"Bring the tiny human mat- um, man," Helblindi said, quickly covering up his slip of tongue. "Goodbye, brother! Goodbye, brother-defiler!" 

Angrboda huffed, tucked Loki and his child under his arm, grabbed the humans with his other hand, and promptly flew off. The entire group reappeared in Stark Tower, where Angrboda handed a squalling Einar off to Steve. "Come, Loki, I have the urge to mate," he announced, whisking Loki away again. In the corner, Thor moaned in horror. Tony just looked impressed.

"Coolio," he said. "I wonder if Loki gives or takes," he mused aloud. Steve gasped, covered the baby's ears with one hand, slapped Tony with the other, and scurried away, presumably to maintain his own purity. Tony nursed his cheek and grabbed Pepper's hand. "Hey, Pep, I proposed an alliance between Earth and a benign alien race. Pretty responsible, huh?"

Pepper's eyes gleamed with undisguised want as she approached Tony shyly, taking his hand and pulling him into the bedroom. "That's good, Tony," she was saying as she dragged him away. "You're such a clever, responsible, man..."

The door clicked shut with a sense of finality. No one cared to paid attention to the lone thunder god whimpering in the corner.


End file.
